The name Black Forest still sends a ripple of excitement and nostalgia through golfers who recall this Northern Michigan masterpiece. Many still ask what happened to the famed course, so this article will walk you through the stunning rise, the unfortunate fall, and the current ghostly state of the legendary Black Forest Golf Course.
In 1992, the golf world was introduced to a bold and brilliant design in the remote woods of Gaylord, Michigan. The Black Forest course, designed by a young and ambitious architect named Tom Doak, was an instant sensation. Doak was already known for his "minimalist" design philosophy, believing the best courses are found on the land, not forced upon it. Black Forest was the embodiment of that idea.
Unlike many highly manufactured courses of its era, Black Forest felt integrated with its rugged landscape. Doak routed the course over dramatic, glacially-carved terrain, using the natural sand dunes, ridges, and valleys to create a strategic and visually striking experience. The fairways were wide and inviting, but finding the correct angle for your approach shot was a different matter entirely. The greens were wild, with huge contours and challenging slopes that rewarded creative putting and a deft touch with a wedge.
To play Black Forest in its prime was to experience a challenging, thought-provoking round that stood apart from almost everything else being built at the time. It was an intellectual test as much as a physical one, and that’s what made golfers fall in love with it.
To understand the decline of Black Forest, you have to understand its setting. The course was one of two at the Wilderness Valley / Black Forest resort complex. The other course, "The Classic," was a more traditional, parkland-style design that was easier and more manageable for the average resort guest.
Black Forest was, in a word, difficult. Its rugged terrain and punishing nature could be demoralizing for higher-handicap players. The same features that golf architecture aficionados loved - the gnarly bunkers, the wild greens, the demand for strategic thinking - made it a tough sell for casual golfers looking for a relaxing day on the links. As a golf coach, I can tell you that when a course beats you up relentlessly, it's hard to convince recreational players to come back for more, no matter how critically acclaimed it is.
Northern Michigan is also a highly seasonal golf market. Resorts there need to make most of their money from May to September. A course with the high maintenance costs associated with Black Forest’s vast, sandy landscape faced an uphill battle to turn a profit in that short window. When coupled with the broader economic downturn following the 2008 financial crisis, the writing was on the wall. Discretionary spending on travel and 'trophy-tours' to destination courses took a major hit, and resorts like Wilderness Valley felt the squeeze.
The resort changed hands and faced significant financial trouble in the years leading up to the closure. Golfers who visited in the final years reported seeing the signs of decay. The budget for conditioning was clearly being slashed. The once-pristine playing surfaces started to show weeds, the unique sandy waste areas became overgrown, and the "minimalist" ethos started to just look... unkempt.
The resort’s owners had to make a business decision. With limited funds, do you pour money into a nationally-ranked but brutally difficult and expensive course, or do you support the more accessible, playable course (The Classic) that appeals to a wider range of guests?
The choice was unfortunately clear. Resources were consolidated, and efforts were focused on keeping The Classic afloat. For several seasons before its official shutdown, Black Forest was poorly maintained and often empty, a ghost of its former self.
The Black Forest course officially closed for good at the end of the 2017 season. There was no big farewell tour or grand ceremony. After years of struggling financially, the property entered foreclosure. The lights were simply turned off, and the gates were locked.
The resort property was eventually bought out of foreclosure, but the new owners decided not to invest the millions of dollars it would take to restore the Black Forest to its former glory. Instead, Mother Nature was allowed to reclaim the land.
So, what would you find if you visited the site of the Black Forest Golf Course today? You’d find a ghost course an echo of what once was.
Explorers and nostalgic golfers who have walked the land report an eerie but beautiful sight. The brilliant routing is still visible - you can still see the elegant flow of the fairways and the outline of the massive, creative green complexes. The bones of Tom Doak’s masterpiece are still there.
However, nature has taken over. What was once perfectly mown fescue is now knee-high wild grass. The sharp edges of the bunkers have softened and filled with weeds and small trees. Saplings are beginning to populate the fairways. The clubhouse is shuttered and abandoned. It is a playable golf course no more.
Walking the course today is a melancholy experience, a reminder of both the brilliance of its design and the fragility of even the most celebrated golf businesses. It exists now only in photographs, magazines, and the memories of those who were lucky enough to play it.
As a golf coach, the story of Black Forest serves as a powerful reminder of a few things. First, it highlights the importance of appreciating the great courses we have a chance to play. Artful designs are not guaranteed to be around forever. Support them, play them, and recognize what makes them special.
Second, it brings us back to the heart of what true golf strategy is all about. Black Forest couldn’t be bludgeoned into submission. You had to think your way around it. You had to:
This kind of thinking makes you a better golfer on any course, not just a legendary lost one. Too many amateurs walk up to a shot, choose a club based solely on yardage, and swing away without considering anything else. Learning to manage your game and make smart decisions will lower your scores faster than almost any swing change.
The Black Forest Golf Course remains a celebrated but cautionary tale - a world-class design that was ultimately a victim of its remote location, challenging nature, and difficult economic times. While the course itself has been returned to the Michigan wilderness, its legacy as one of modern golf's most brilliant and daring designs lives on.
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